The Coaches Poll took another turn after a weekend that knocked two Big 12 contenders off their perch. BYU and Texas Tech both entered Saturday undefeated, and both left with their first losses of the season - a double hit that reshuffled the top 25.
BYU’s rise hit a snag in the most jarring way possible. The Cougars were sitting at No. 3 after their big win over Notre Dame in Week 7, but a crushing double-overtime loss to unranked UCF sent them sliding to No.
- They still have a chance to climb again, with the Holy War coming in a few weeks.
Texas Tech’s fall was even steeper in the poll. The Red Raiders had been No. 5, but Cincinnati dashed their perfect season and did it convincingly, with Texas Tech never really in the game.
That defeat dropped the Red Raiders all the way to No. 14.
Elsewhere in the rankings, Tennessee and USC also took major hits. Tennessee blew a late lead against South Carolina and fell to No. 17, while USC dropped to No. 25 after a rough showing against Wisconsin. Oregon’s third loss of the year was enough to push the Ducks out of the top 25 entirely.
At the top, Miami held firm at No. 1 with 67 first-place votes. Ohio State stayed at No.
2, Georgia moved up to No. 3, and Indiana climbed to No. 4.
Utah jumped to No. 5, followed by Notre Dame at No. 6 and UCLA at No. 7.
Kentucky checked in at No. 8 behind BYU.
Alabama landed at No. 10, Texas rose to No. 11, and Ole Miss fell to No.
- LSU came in at No. 13, while Wake Forest moved to No. 15 and SMU to No.
- Northwestern cracked the top 20 at No. 18, with Houston at No. 19 and Florida at No.
Arizona entered the rankings at No. 21, Boise State stayed at No.
22, Missouri was No. 23, and Iowa settled at No. 24 before USC rounded out the poll at No. 25.
In Other News...
BYU Fans Have Every Reason To Be Furious After That Finish
The frustration around BYUs latest Big 12 finish is not coming out of nowhere. The conference has now acknowledged officiating errors in recent games involving BYU, UCF and Notre Dame, a blunt reminder that the discussion around missed calls has moved well beyond one isolated moment. ESPNs Rece Davis added to the criticism by pointing to the repeated administrative mistakes that have started to define too many late-game conversations across college football.
For BYU fans, the aggravation is only sharpened by how these decisions can tilt a game at the exact point when every snap matters most. Davis cited specific breakdowns, including an incorrect 10-second runoff and a roughing-the-kicker call that stirred debate in a double-overtime game, while a separate Week 1 controversy in the Big Ten involving Western Michigan and Michigan showed the problem is hardly confined to one league. The bigger concern now is not just the individual miss, but how often the sport seems to be asking fans and teams to live with them. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Suddenly Faces A Bigger Question After UCF Stunner
The shock of UCFs double-overtime upset over No. 2 BYU left the Cougars with more than just a blemish on the record. It also turned attention to how quickly a ranked team has to reset after a game that demanded everything, especially with UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins central to the win and now confirmed to keep the job heading into the next week.
For BYU, the bigger question is what comes next in a Big 12 race that can flip fast, and Baylor is waiting with its own uncertainty after firing Dave Aranda and turning to Joe Klanderman as interim head coach. Scott Frost and his players talked afterward about sustaining the same edge that carried them through the upset, but the Cougars will be trying to answer for a loss that changes the conversation around them almost immediately. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Suddenly Faces A Secondary Test It Cant Afford To Fail
BYUs defense is about to get another look at its depth in the secondary, with cornerback Evan Johnson expected to sit out the upcoming game against Arizona State after getting hurt against UCF. Kalani Sitake said the injury is not season-ending, but the Cougars are planning as if Johnson will miss this week, which puts more pressure on a unit that has already had to adjust on the fly.
Arizona State brings its own uncertainty at quarterback, with Mikey Keene listed as questionable because of a leg injury. If Keene cannot go, freshman Jake Fette is expected to get the start, adding another layer of unpredictability to a matchup that already has plenty of moving parts for BYU to sort through on the back end. [Read more 🡒]